Original mono mix
of landmark debut by folk-rock
pioneers!
Upon its release in 1966, the
Mamas and the Papas’ debut LP
If You Can Believe Your Eyes and
Ears introduced a fresh new
sound that would permanently
alter the face of contemporary
popular music. Leader John
Phillips’ visionary producing,
arranging and songwriting
abilities combined with the
quartet’s breathtaking harmonies
to make music that was both
effortlessly accessible and
creatively adventurous. The
album quickly topped the
Billboard album chart,
bringing folk-rock into the pop
mainstream and making Phillips,
his then-wife Michelle Phillips,
Denny Doherty and Cass Elliot
into instant multimedia
celebrities. In the years since
its release, If You Can
Believe Your Eyes and Ears
has come to be regarded as one
of the finest pop albums of the
’60s and one of the best debut
releases ever, as evidenced by
its ranking at Number 127 on
Rolling Stone’s list of the
500 greatest albums of all time.
If You Can Believe Your Eyes
and Ears was the product of
Lou Adler’s visionary
production, Phillips’ savvy
studio mastery and the
foursome’s extended period of
musical woodshedding in the
Virgin Islands. The months of
meticulous rehearsals paid off
in the group’s ability to emerge
as a fully-formed musical unit
right out of the box, delivering
such instant classics as
“California Dreamin’,” “Monday,
Monday” and “Go Where You Wanna
Go” to the willing ears of
record buyers and radio
listeners.
At the time of If You Can
Believe Your Eyes and Ears
initial release, the presence of
a toilet in the periphery of the
album’s cover photo caused
faint-hearted moral guardians to
pressure the group’s record
company to excise the offending
fixture from subsequent
pressings of the album.
Sundazed’s new vinyl edition of
If You Can Believe Your Eyes
and Ears restores the rare,
long-missing “toilet” cover, and
features the album’s superior
original mono mix. It’s also
mastered from the original
analog tapes, and pressed on
high-definition vinyl—the better
to maintain the same joyous
sense of discovery that
listeners felt when first
hearing this timeless gem in
1966.
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In 1981, ten
years after the
release of the
last album by
the original
members of The
Mamas and The
Papas, John
Phillips
reformed the
group with
original Papa,
Denny Doherty,
Spanky McFarlane
from Spanky and
Our Gang in the
Cass Elliot
spot, and
Mackenzie
Phillips, John’s
daughter, in the
Michelle
Phillips spot.
Scott McKenzie,
for whom John
had written “San
Francisco (Be
Sure To Wear A
Flower In Your
Hair)”, would
later join the
group, replacing
Denny in the
mid-80s.
The group
recorded over
two
albums’-worth of
new John
Phillips songs
between 1981 and
1988. The best
of these
never-before-released
studio
recordings are
featured in this
collection.
The Mamas and
The Papas was a
crucial part of
the
harmony-rich,
pop-group
movement that
swept Southern
California in
the ‘60’s. With
the group’s mix
of male and
female voices,
astute
songwriting and
arrangements
from John
Phillips, and
musical
contributions
from some of Los
Angeles’ finest
session
musicians, The
Mamas and The
Papas cut some
of the most
indelible and
durable pop
records of all
time. These
‘80’s recordings
find John
Phillips
returning to his
original role as
songwriter,
vocal arranger,
producer and
group leader,
after a decade
pursuing various
solo recording
and producing
projects,
composing and
acting in an
Andy
Warhol-produced
off-Broadway
musical and film
producing and
soundtrack work.
This new
incarnation of
The Mamas and
The Papas toured
extensively for
most of the 80s,
playing a
variety of The
Mamas and The
Papas hits, band
member solo hits
and material
from the studio
albums then in
progress.
The first track,
“Go Now”, is a
remake of the
1965 hit by The
Moody Blues. The
track was
considered for
release as a
single, and is
the only
non-original
song in the
collection.
The song
“Kokomo” is also
included,
featuring vocals
by Denny and
Scott together,
and is performed
the way John and
Scott McKenzie
originally
composed it,
before The Beach
Boys recorded a
version for the
Tom Cruise
movie,
Cocktail, with
additional music
and lyrics by
Mike Love and
Terry Melcher.
The collection
also contains an
original version
of “Fairy Tale
Girl,” another
of John’s songs
that The Beach
Boys revamped
and recorded on
the Still
Cruisin’
album under the
name “Somewhere
Near Japan.”
The bonus live
disc includes a
rare performance
by John Phillips
singing “San
Francisco (Be
Sure To Wear
Some Flowers In
Your Hair),” the
1967 hit he
wrote for Scott
McKenzie.
The disc also
features The
Mamas and The
Papas hits and
band member solo
hits, and will
be a
CD-only release,
not available
for digital
download.
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Be sure to get
the first video document of The
Mamas and The Papas to be
released in nearly two decades.
This love letter of music
focuses on the group's wonderful
weavings of song and bookends
many never before seen
peformances with unreleased and
new interviews with John and
Michelle Phillips, Denny
Doherty, Owen Elliot-Kugell, and
Lou Adler. Featured on
Public Television in early 2005
this is the definitivie audio
visual document of the first
true American Supergroup.
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For the first time - the
definitive Mamas and Papas
career anthology, presented in a
4CD digibook set. The anthology
features all the Mamas and Papas
complete studio albums - "If You
Can Believe Your Eyes And Ears",
" The Mamas and the Papas", "The
Mamas and The Papas Deliver",
"Monterey International Pop
Festival" (live), "People Like
Us", alongside the corresponding
single releases, rare tracks and
studio /rehearsal takes. Disc
four is a disc of rarities &
previously unissued recordings,
including live performances from
US television, solo tracks from
each of the band and tracks from
the 'Barry McGuire with The
Mamas & Papas' album, which
features many early versions of
tracks that would later be hits
for the group in their own
right. Compiled by US expert Jim
Pierson and with detailed liner
notes by journalist Paul Grein,
this set features lavish 72 page
full color booklet with over 100
photos, previously unseen
material, a full discography,
track annotations and foreword
from 'Mama' Michelle Phillips.
The Anthology provides not only
a must-have set for existing
fans but a superb exploration of
the bands music for those more
recently drawn to their timeless
blend of honeyed west-coast
harmonies, fusing pop rock and
folk matched by few in their
wake.
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Released in Japan
- California Dreamin'
maxi single containing the Mamas
& Papas' classic song.
Also includes Monday Monday.
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Also newly
released in Japan, a new MAMAS &
PAPAS "best-of" compilation.
It's a Japan original edition
containing all their hits.
First Pressings are slip-cased.
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Are you looking
for Cass' recordings with The
Mamas & The Papas?
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Available for the
first time on DVD, this 3 disc
set is the definitive chronicle
of the first of the great rock
festivals of the late '60s -
early '70s - The Monterey
International Pop Festival.
Packed full of never before seen
bonus material and a never
before released interview with
Cass!
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Click here
to view an incredible site,
The Mamas and Papas Online Price
Guide!
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Click here
to find out what Red Hot Chili
Pepper Anthony Kiedis has to say
about Cass and the rest of The
Mamas & The Papas!
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Cass Elliot and
The Mamas and The Papas -
inducted into the Rock and Roll
Hall of Fame on January 12,
1998:
Check out The Hall of Fame!
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Are you looking
for LYRICS to songs by
The Mamas and The Papas? Check
Here:
The Lyrics Library - The Mamas &
The Papas!
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Ever wonder about
The Mamas and The Papas getting
together? Check out this
analysis of their top-ten hit
(and chronicle) CREEQUE ALLEY -
Click Here!
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The actual "Other Mama" was Jill
Gibson, who sang with The Mamas and The Papas in the
Summer of 1966 and rehearsed and began recording for
some of their sophomore album. Jill recalls
Cass as being "always good" to her. Says Jill,
"I have very fond memories of Cass. She was
always very supportive and sympathetic when I sang
with the group." And, she adds, "I know she would
like my work." Jill's "work" is that of fine
art and you can discover some of it yourself, here:
www.gibsonarts.com
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